


Act One: The Many Meetings

by coolcattime



Series: Mianite Supernatural Creatures [1]
Category: Mianite - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Realm of Mianite - Fandom
Genre: Demon!Waglington, Dragon!Alyssa, Dragon!Mot, Dryad!Sonja, Fairy!Capsize, Fairy!Redbeard, Multi, Realm of Mianite, Story told out of order, Vampire!Tucker, Visions, Werewolf!Jordan, also posted on Wattpad, alternative universe, dragon!tom, polyship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2019-10-29 01:47:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 18,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17798795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coolcattime/pseuds/coolcattime
Summary: In a world full of magic and creatures that can wield it, a problem has arisen. For more than a century, one of the three gods has been missing. Despite many attempts to find the deity come to be known as the lost goddess, none have come close until recently.The remaining gods have chosen a group of individuals to monitor those attempting to find their sister, believing that only fairies, the creatures still connected to her have a chance. Due to this, when they erase the memories of a werewolf, they believe that they're only doing their job. However, as they learn more about the situation, they realise the terrible mistake they made.As they try to correct what happened, a much worse event comes to pass. Due to this, they may soon have to work with the man whose memories they removed in order to save one of the few people who may be able to find the lost goddess.





	1. Shimmering Memories

Jordan

I stumble through the woods, my hood up as I try to get as far away as possible from the village that I woke up locked up in. A simple cell can never keep me trapped for long but they'll be tracking me. If I don't move quickly, I'll end up cut to shreds by silver knives. I didn't even hurt anyone. They just didn't like my transformation. I should never have left the jungle but that thing, the fire it caused, didn't leave me much of a choice. I knew I was meant to keep track of the moon cycle but after days of going without food, I needed to go to the village.

I don’t know this area like I knew my jungle. The new smells are overwhelming, enough so that I think even if one of the hunters was right behind me, I wouldn’t be able to tell. The burning cut on my arm reminds me that they don't need to get that close, they just need to see me. That's why I can't stop moving, I shouldn't stop moving but when I see her, I do.

She has tanned skin with freckles scattered across it, clear as she almost glows in the sunlight. Dark brown waves of hair roll down her shoulders. It's messy but clearly taken care of. Purple butterfly wings on her back tell me that she's a fairy (at least if I remember the stories right) but I've never seen anything like her. She turns, a smile growing on her face.

"Jordan, I knew you'd be here somewhere, I knew you weren't dead!" She says, hugging me, despite how everything she just said makes no sense. However, she knows my name is a mystery, I certainly didn't tell her. The hug doesn't feel normal either, it's far too close for this to just be a weird thing that fairies do and, with her wings, I have no idea what to do with my arms. She seems to realise I'm not reacting the way she expected me too. She steps back a little, the glow that previously surrounded her dimming. "Jordan, what's wrong?"

"How do you know my name?" I ask and her face falls. I feel terrible for making her feel sad even if I don't quite understand her. It feels like a tugging in my chest is telling me that I should listen to her, that I should just accept it since she isn't trying to kill me but it almost seems that I've done the damage just by asking. "Never mind, you're not with the hunters, are you?"

"No... but you don't remember me?" She hovers an inch in the air, her wings flapping slightly. She looks like she's never been so confused, face seconds away from becoming tear stained. Suddenly, her expression changes - her eyes widening before grabbing a hold of me and pushing me to the side. I fall.

I land on a wooden floor much different from the mud I was expecting to fall on to. The room I'm now in is familiar, looking so much like the one I once had in my tree. If it weren't for the lack of humid air, I'd think I was back there. I sit up, trying to figure out what exactly happened when I see the fairy in the corner, a silver knife in her shoulder.

She slowly slides down the wall as she breathes heavily, desperately rooting through a bag on her shoulder. I stand up, attempting to get over to her while my mind is trying to figure out how to help her. Yet before I have time to help at all, a man pushes through the door.

"Capsize!" The man with dragonfly wings yells as he sees the scene. She smiles weakly at him as he takes the pouch from her. He pours some of the contents on her shoulder before ripping out the knife. I gasp, but they don't even react making me wonder what monsters I'm stuck with. I look back at the fairies, expecting a horror show only to see no harm to the woman who saved me.

"Thanks, just a little tired from the transport Red," She murmurs leaning onto the man, her eyes glance at me as her weak smile stops the pounding in my ears. Looking at them together something seems wrong though, how brightly the man glows compared to the girl leaning on his shoulder.

"You're not tired, you're shimmering. You're lucky you hadn't used up your dust supply," My head starts spinning as things start returning to me, conversations streaming through my head without warning.

_"Cap! You're not healing!"_

_"It doesn't matter, I just need some dust from my pouch."_

_"Why aren't you making any dust yourself? Are you fading?"_

_"It's called shimmering and it's just because I'm worried. You didn't come back."_

_"I'll always come back, I promise."_

"I told you I'd always come back," I whisper it not expecting either of them to hear me but both of them turn, Capsize's glow partly returning as she almost crawls over to me. She hugs me like she did in the woods but this time I know why she's doing it. There's still a feeling of unease as I think about the moments before I lost my memories, the group of people I saw.

I thought that they would be trustworthy. They didn't attack me straight after I had told them what I was. When I told them that I was looking for the lost goddess though, they changed. It’s lucky that I didn’t tell them about Capsize and Redbeard since I doubt that the two of them would be okay if I had. I don't quite know why I wasn't killed outright, but I'm at least grateful for that but they'll be back. They'll be back but that time but I won't trust them when they do, not the so-called Champions of the Gods.


	2. Sunburn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During an outing to a nearby town, Tucker gets into trouble but ends up meeting someone new.

Tucker

I walk through the streets, hood up to shadow my face, hoping that people aren't staring. I know it’s just the paranoia talking, I know, no one cares if someone has their hood up but I'm sure they can tell. If they did know they wouldn't want me here. No one ever really does want a blood-sucker of any kind in their town, not just vampires. They shouldn't find out, though. I'm only here for a short time, shorter than it took to travel here.

If they do find out about me, Wag's at least here so he won't let them kill me. It’s odd to think the man walking beside me is the most human person I’m friends with. He’s only no long human due to accidentally cursing himself. It also isn’t obvious what he is from the moment the sun hits him. Not that I’m jealous, even if he doesn’t have to take twenty minutes preparing any time that he wants to leave the house during the day. Unlike the other people we live with, he actually takes advantage of that fact.

"You're not worrying, are you?" He asks as if there aren't a hundred people in this town who would very much like to see a vampire burning to ash. I don't see why he can't grow his ingredients himself to save himself the monthly journey here. "If you worry every time that we come here, I'll stop bringing you."

“Wag, please. This is the only thing that stops Tom from dragging me to see Mot and Alyssa every month. It’s bad enough that he makes me go every three,” I don’t want to seem like I don’t appreciate this. As much as I feel nervous coming here, it’s easier than preparing for a trip to see a dragon family. Not that Tom's family are terrible, but it's hard to cope when I'm not part of the relationship with Tom, Sonja, and Wag. I don't want to be in it, but I always feel unnecessary when I'm on trips with all of them.

"Not really, he just likes taking as many people as possible because of his hoarding problem," Wag laughs as he says one of Tom's biggest problems. Unlike Mot and Alyssa who have hordes of inanimate objects, Tom hoards people. It's part of the reason he was so happy to date both Wag and Sonja. It’s also why he insists that I come with him on any trip where everyone else is going.

"Am I getting the same as last time?" I decide to get this over with, the conversation isn't going anywhere so I might as well get on with this. As soon as Wag nods, I make a turn away from him and a beeline towards the spice stall I visited last time. If we can just get all the stuff for his work, we can leave this town for another month.

It doesn't take long to get the spices I know Wag uses in his rituals and potions. It almost seems like this trip might be uneventful but then someone runs into me. Someone runs into me and accidentally knocks me to the ground making my hood falling down. The moment the sun touches my face pain forces its way through my body as my skin starts burning uncontrollably.

The world goes dark also immediately as the pain to my eye forces me to close it. It then becomes impossible to reopen my eyelid burns closed in the sunlight. I can feel people gather around me even so and while there's no shouts or screams of what I am, no one helps me. They stand around murmuring as I try to claw my hood back over my head. Until the pain is numbed from something thrown over my head and someone picks me up yet for the life of me, I can't figure out why.

Wherever I'm put I must be inside because the cover is pulled off me but the pain doesn't fully return. There are voices around me but they're blurry, faded and out of context, apart from one. A strong male voice, taking charge of the situation while also comforting me.

"Stay still okay. I'm going to fix your burns, but you need to stay still," He says it calmly enough that even blind I feel safe. I hear a few other things happening but after a short sound of pain from the man, I feel the dull pain I still have melting away. Slowly, I feel my face able to move again as the burns seem to disappear until my eyelids feel like they can open safely. "There, wouldn't want you to burn to death on my watch."

The man glows, warmth coming from him and making me feel safe. He has messy red hair and a beard to match. Green eyes are focused on me and filled with concern. For a few short moments, I wonder how a human could give off an aura like this until I see dragonfly wings folded on his back, a fairy.

"Is there anyone you came with? I wouldn't want to just send you away alone," Thoughts fly around my head, unable to be organised. I know that I have to answer. I can't lie, but I don't want to leave, not yet anyway.

"Wag, my friend. He went to buy plants," Despite my vague answer, the man nods. It occurs to me, in a slight panic, that he almost definitely knows the town better than I do yet he doesn't go straight to leave. Instead, he turns to a young child (his son by the looks of it) and kneels next to him.

"Will, go to the plant stalls and ask around for a ‘Wag’. When you find him, bring him here. I'll get you and 'Nita a treat if you’re quick," The boy nods and literally flies out the door. I'd be impressed if I didn't realise exactly what I’ve just done. A fairy child is being sent to find a part-demon in a town that didn’t care about me nearly burning to death. I scramble towards the door, attempting to get after him when a hand touches my shoulder and stops me. "If anyone in this town hurts him, they're ending their deal for medical supplies. I'm Redbeard, one of the fairies from the nearby tribe."

"Tucker," I don't add my title to the end, not wanting to scare him off. The gods don't need everyone to know I work for them. They can't stop me from hiding it, anyway. Redbeard smiles, shaking my hand. It's weird to have someone treat me with such a friendly manner right after meeting me. "Aren't you scared of me?"

"Of course not," He laughs, taking a few steps back to get some space from me. Even though he's moved away he doesn't seem scared or any less open to me. If anything, he's more expressive, almost dance-like in his movement. "I'm not really scared of anything since my sister brought a werewolf into the tribe."

"Werewolf?" I'm intrigued and confused. Werewolves aren't really seen outside their own packs. There are some lone wolves, but they tend to be pretty hostile to the idea of joining groups in the first place.

"Yeah, she found him two years or so ago and thought he was the one who was meant to bring back the lost goddess. She's lucky the elder agreed the runes tattooed on him meant something," He continues on about his sister, the werewolf, the two children they look after as well as a few mentions of his father. All I can think about, though, is the werewolf that we found with fey tattoos. It was a few months ago. We just assumed he was a lone wolf who had heard a few stories. Someone who just thought highly of themselves. If he was a fairy tribe member, though. Then by the gods, we’ve messed up.


	3. Visions of Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On a seemingly normal day, Redbeard panics when his sister returns from her unexplained journey with a stranger.

Redbeard

I brush the covers carefully over Will's wings making sure he doesn't wake up with crumpled wings. He's never cared about his sleeping position, meaning half the time his wings get into odd positions, but I have trouble telling him for about it. Him crumpling his wings is the only reason I found him when he appeared. It would be easier on my nerves if he didn’t do it nearly every night. At least when Capsize comes home, it’ll be less pressure on me to notice every time.

It's not unlike Capsize to wander off for a few weeks on some unexplained mission but normally she discusses her reasoning with me beforehand and doesn't just leave a note. It's only now she's gone that I've realised just how much she notices Will doing things he shouldn't that I don't. She should be back soon (at least if her previous disappearances are anything to go off) probably with a new random object she'll claim is very important and she saw in a dream. Will will like it at least but her collection (if I can even call it that) is getting a little out of control.

I leave Will's room as quietly as possible, the orange light coming through the window though beautiful reminds me how late he's been up today. It's quiet as I enter the hallway, the small house unnaturally empty-feeling with Will asleep and Capsize gone. There should be noises. There should be but there's not. There isn't, that is until footsteps come running down the hallway.

"Red!" I hear a voice yell as I see my friend run down the corridor to me. Her wings (those of a hummingbird) flapping constantly despite her remaining on the group. I know her well enough to know when she's nervous. "It's Capsize. She's in trouble!"

"What happened Lotus?" I don't understand, she's been gone for weeks. What on earth could she have done in minutes of coming back?

"She's brought an outsider here, she's brought an outsider right to the elder," My legs carry me out of the building as if I'm not in control of them. If it weren't for Lotus yelling after me that she'll keep an eye on Will, I'd probably be trying to stop myself. Capsize has had her unreasonable moments in the past but bringing an outsider into the tribe is going too far even for her. She'll be exiled whether her 'visions' are true or not.

The sight outside scares me as I realise how many people are staring at the same spot. Capsize stands next to a human, a young man (maybe just a little older than Capsize) with messy brown hair and some stubble. They both stand before Elder Idlestorm whose eyes linger on both of them, especially Capsize who doesn't seem to realise what she's done.

"Capsize, despite you breaking one of our most important rules I am willing to forgive you due to your previous services to the tribe," I almost breathe a sigh of relief as I hear those words. Thank the goddess for Capsize's visions, even if I don't entirely think Idlestorm should encourage her. She can barely tell the difference between her normal dreams and her visions. "I only ask that you take this outsider to the village. You may visit him as you like there."

"But he's meant to be here. I saw him like I saw everything else, that's why I went to find him!" Tears are visible in the corner of her eyes as she tries to explain himself. Idlestorm touches her shoulders, in the same way I know she often does in the aftermaths of Capsize's nightmares. She looks up, shaking slightly as she does.

"Tell me what you saw Capsize," She says softly, allowing Capsize to relax slightly (though as she looks at the crowd that's gathered around her, she still seems nervous). How can she be nervous at all? Idlestorm always listens to her.

"I saw that he would be the one to find the lost goddess," As soon as she says those words, murmuring goes through the crowd. While some seem excited that she's found the chosen one but most are angry, saying that she's gone mad. None, however, go as far as the man standing closest to her.

"You idiot blasphemer!" Capsize jumps at the yell, and Elder Idlestorm looks at him disapprovingly. I have to fight the urge to run up to him and punch him. Maybe she's not in the right, and this isn't her best idea but she's not trying to offend anyone, she really believes that he is the one. "A human can't be the one to find the lost goddess."

"I'm not a human," The man says, rolling his eyes. Capsize hastily nods as he speaks as if both of them know something no one else does. I try to figure out what else he could be but human yet I can't, he just looks human. "I'm a werewolf."

"Yeah, a child of the moon!" I rush forward because, suddenly, I know why this is happening. I should have realised that she'd only get into this mess if she's done it again. Ignoring the confused reactions of those around us (and Capsize's giggling) I pull her jacket off to make sure I'm right and I am. A large cut in her wing, so close to her back that it's a miracle that the stitches holding it in place were possible. Even now there's dust coming off her as the cut closes and her wings connect again. I should have realised sooner. She tears her wings enough for me to know how she acts when they're healing before she starts with the moon obsession she gets.

"I found her during the full moon, she said a man attacked her and I'd scared him off while I'd been transformed. I wasn't sure what else to do," The werewolf explains as Idlestorms brushes her hand over the stitches. He doesn't need to explain that he didn't do it. It's nothing I couldn't guess. The cut is too clean to be something she did by accident or for him to have done in his transformation and it's not unusual for people to attack lone fairies for their wings. "When she saw my birthmarks, she insisted that I come back here. I didn't know I'd cause trouble for her."

"May I see those birthmarks?" Idlestorm asks him. The werewolf takes his jacket off, showing his left arm to her. The 'birthmarks' are five runes, the only one of which I recognise is the one meaning moon (Capsize has it written a few times on her bedroom walls from her previous times healing wing injuries). Yet Elder Idlestorm clears recognises all of them, tracing over them with her eyes wide. "You're the one we've been looking for."

Excitement ripples through the crowd as it's said by her, almost infuriating as they thought Capsize was insane. I mean, it was hard to blame them but they shouldn't jump to believe just because someone higher up is saying it. Capsize, at least, looks happy about their reactions.

"What's your name?" Idlestorm asks the slightly confused werewolf. He hesitates for a moment but seems to be convinced when Capsize smiles at him.

"Jordan," He says, obviously unsure if he's meant to say anything else. He doesn't realise he could literally say anything and not be stopped. Elder Idlestorm nods.

"Well Jordan, you are welcome to stay in the tribe. We will discuss the rules after we give Capsize something to settle her emotions while she's healing. I expect you to stay with Capsize for your first few weeks here. She will work as your guide,” Before I can stop her, Capsize hugs Jordan. The act seems to both shock Jordan but also makes a smile appear on his face. I manage to pull her off and start leading her back to the house with Jordan trailing behind us. When I've managed to get her to calm down, we'll discuss this probably but for now... I guess we have a new member of the family.


	4. A Dragon's Horde

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonja has a heart-to-heart with Tom about the werewolf they previously met.

Sonja

I feel the wind flowing through my branches as I lie under my tree, slightly shaded by now my own leaves. It’s good to be like this once in a while, on my own with my tree. It’s nice to just feel everything I’m meant to without being distracted. The others don’t really understand but when I’m away it’s like I’m leaving apart of my body behind. Tom at least tries to understand, even referring to my tree as she, rather than it. It's not like I can actually move her but it's just hard that the others don't really understand.

There's a movement close to me, shifting through my branches - not too rough, just moving them so a person can get through. Though that’s to be expected with a willow tree really. I can’t tell who it is, but it’s definitely Tom or Wag. A stranger wouldn’t be so careful with the leaves. They also wouldn’t be able to get to my tree since our house is sort of built around it. Given that it’s currently daytime, I doubt it’s Tucker. It's not until they lay down next to me that I actually check who it is.

Tom's lying next to me on the grass, clearly nervous about something from how he's acting. He looks as if he's ready to transform and take flight. Though, hopefully, he won’t transform while he's under my tree. Of course, if he does transform, he might not turn back for weeks so I turn to face him.

"Hey Tom, what's up?" I ask, brushing my hands against some of his scales that remind exposed in his human form.

"I... I think that our memory spell has worn off," I perk up surprised that he could even know that. He didn't cast the spell on the werewolf and even if he did, he shouldn't feel when it's broken, the spell would be disconnected from... Oh, why didn't I check earlier about this? I should have known he would have the moment they met.

"You hoarded him, didn't you?" He can't go and find him. He just can't. The man would kill him, but I know Tom isn't going to get the idea out of his head. It's just the way dragons are, Tom just has the unfortunate part that people don't always what to be taken by a dragon. He can always sense where people in his horde are, though, so he usually doesn't mind if they aren't with him but in this situation... it's going to get him in trouble.

"Not just him, there's someone else too. He cares about her so much," My thoughts stop in surprise. He's never done this before. He's never hoarded someone he hasn't met yet. It's probably why this is bothering him so much. This is special to him, and he can't go and get them. "We made him forget her. He could have never found her again."

"Tom, we didn't know. We just did our job," We're meant to keep anyone but the fairies from trying to find the lost goddess. The rest of us didn't like it any more than Tom. That look in a person's eyes before the spell finishes, it never leaves your mind. The fact he had someone that close hurts too but if the spell's worth off I'm sure nothing's happened to either of them. I'm sure if anything had, Tom would be telling me all about it like he always does.

"But he hates us, I can feel it. I want to find them so badly. He hates me, though,” I try to think of something to distract him. Just anything to distract him. The idea that comes into my head feels like a long shot but it could work.

"Do you remember when you first met Tucker?" It was a long time ago when we found the vampire. Well, it would’ve been a long time if we were humans. We were going through a tough time ourselves with Wag's recent and accidental transformation and yet Tom was brilliant. If he hadn't done everything that he did that night, I doubt Tucker would still be alive. A small smile spreads on Tom's face.

He starts murmuring about the details, quiet enough that I can barely hear the words I've heard him say so many times. Maybe I can't hear him at all, and my memory is simply filling in the words. It's one of his favourite memories, Tucker being the last person who actually joined the horde. Hopefully, it'll keep him distracted for a while, so he doesn't go off and find the two in his head for a while. I know it's unavoidable now, and he'll go and find them eventually but... I don't want to lose him because of something none of us wanted to do.


	5. A Touch of Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jordan sees what he believes are Capsize's tattoos.

Capsize

I softly sketch onto the paper in front of me, attempting to get everything out of my head. It's not good to keep myself inside but sometimes everything gets overwhelming. There are so many times that I've been told that I'm special that it just makes me feel overwhelmed. Drawing does help at least when I have to get a few things out of my head even if my walls sometimes suffer for it. Today, at least, I have paper.

I'm not sure who exactly I'm drawing, a young woman with scared eyes but nothing I can remember about her personality. She was watching, and that's all I can remember. I’m not sure how good the picture will be given how little I have to go on. If I fill in the missing details with features that’ll fit, it should look fine even if it isn’t accurate. It's more disappointing that I don't know her name. I'd prefer to have the picture named, but it feels wrong to give it the wrong one.

By the time someone comes to check on me, the sketch is pretty much done. I look up to see Jordan in the doorway, looking back at me with a smile. I adjust slightly to make myself more comfortable without getting off my stomach. I know I could move, and it’d probably be good to stretch a little, but in this position, my wings feel free. For once, they aren’t making contact with anything as they move.

"Hey Cap, you alright?" He asks me, obviously worried about how I haven't come out of my room today. He doesn't need to be worried since I can't get ill in the same way he can but it does feel nice to be worried about, especially by Jordan. Having him around makes me happy since he tends to act a little more like me compared to the fairies I've always been around.

"Yeah, just drawing," Jordan, despite the short time he's been here, does know I like drawing even if he doesn't know why. I mean anyone who's been in my room could tell from the state of my walls. He moves closer to me to look at the drawing. He smiles as he picks up the sketch.

"This is impressive, who's the woman?" I have to resist blushing at the compliment as I feel a tingle on my back and stomach that's almost second nature to me. It's nothing new for him to compliment my drawings, usually he's the first one to see them, but every time he does it feels so good. Every time it's like a warmth suddenly flickers inside me. He looks ready to hear my answer when he looks at my back, suddenly becoming surprised. "I didn't know you had tattoos."

"I don't have-" I stop as I realise what he's seen and that he would think they're tattoos. I sit up, letting my top fall over my stomach and back to cover what Jordan was looking at. It's sort of embarrassing that he found my blooms by accident but left to my own devices I'm not sure I would've told him at all. "They're just natural things that fairies have."

"But your brother has tattoos," He says confused. I almost laugh. It's true that Red does have tattoos but they're pretty simple compared to his blooms, they wouldn't let him have anything complex. You want something complex, and you've just got to hope and dream that your body does it for you.

"Yeah but he also has natural ones, not ones like mine but natural ones," Red's blooms are more all over the place rather than all over one space like mine. Mine are a large collection of one thing while his are like everyone else's. Jordan won't find it weird, but it's always nerve-racking to let someone see.

"Do you want to see them properly?"

"Sure," I pull my top up to show my stomach that's covered in roses. There's no uniform colour within them. There are whites, yellows, pinks, oranges, reds, and purples. I've always liked the mixture of colours. They don't stick, but it's nice that the base is nice at the very least. It's still embarrassing that there was were only roses but since Red has a few orange roses too now, I've felt a little better about it. Jordan smiles looking at them. "They're beautiful, and you were born with them?"

"Yeah, well found in the woods with them. You know like Will," I know Jordan doesn't quite get that yet that fairies aren't always born. Most are but then there's one like me who just sort of appeared one day. I could have been born but I don't really think about it. As long as I'm here, I might as well not question how I got here.

"They're so detailed," Jordan murmurs as he touches on only for them to react to his touch. I bite my lip to stop myself laughing at his reaction as the roses around his fingers turn red. He stumbles back, and the roses all quickly shift back to their original colour. It's a usual reaction to people seeing them change for the first time. "They just changed colour!"

"They do that. Don't worry. It's odd, even to fairies," No one else in the tribe has blooms that change colour. It's just me. Just another thing that I shouldn't be able to do.

"Odd? What do you mean?" I shrink a little inward, not wanting to talk about it because I'm meant to feel good about it. It's another thing that makes me "special." There are a lot of things like that, it seems everything makes me special even if I don't want it to. I mean some people say I should feel bad since I take attention away from everyone else by being weird. I'm not meant to feel good about it.

"No one else has ones that change colour. It’s like a lot of things about me. It’s weird and no one else can do it,” Jordan frowns. He looks at me with sad eyes that I’ve only seen him with a few times. It's only when he's worried about me. I try to avoid their gaze, but I know I can't, he'll just get more worried about me if I avoid him. Well, he cares at least a lot of people don't have anyone like that but I have so many.

"People tease you about it, don't they," I shrug despite knowing it's true. I go to turn away, but Jordan wraps his arms around me. Relaxing into his arms, I suddenly realise he wouldn't understand why it's weird. To him, there wouldn't be any reason to make me feel bad about it. "Every part of you is brilliant and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise."


	6. Half-Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waglington does a ritual that's become tiring over the years.

Waglington

I try to ignore the chained being in the middle of the circle as I prepare my ingredients. It's becoming a chore at this point, with the number of times I've done it. Doing the same ritual every mouth of every year for the past fifteen years. It's odd that even a dangerous ritual that someone's life basically depends on can become dull. Seeing the half-life creature is more of an annoyance, a chore than it should be. Listening to it is just a monthly task.

"You don't need to do this you," I roll my eyes hearing the same excuses it always makes. I know what it is. If I let it go, even after all this time, it'll go and do what it was summoned to. Normally that wouldn't be a problem but given what it was summoned for I can't let it complete its task. "You can just let me fade away."

"We both know that'll only happen when you complete your task and unsurprising, I don't condone kidnapping," I never did find out who summoned it. Whoever they are, they aren't someone I want to be able to summon half-lives. What kind of person collects people? ...Well, I guess Tom but he asks permission most of the time and doesn't abduct people.

"Come on, she's not a child anymore," I try not to feel disgusted that its defence relies on time having passed. It shouldn’t be surprising since its defences are always terrible. Somehow, I thought they’d get better over the years. Knowing that I found it attempting to kidnap a child doesn’t help with its excuses. Hopefully, she's forgotten by now. Hopefully, I'm the only person who needs to remember this.

"Doesn't mean you can abduct her," I mutter as I start putting the items for the ritual into place. Each piece going into the place I know it needs to go in. A single thing wrong and it won't work. I need it to work. I've never gotten it wrong before so this time shouldn't be any different. So long as I keep calm, I'll always do this right. Then why do I feel so paranoid?

The more items I put into place the more nervous I feel, knowing it's following my every movement. I should just ignore it. I know that, but I don't. I don't stop paying attention to it as it laughs and starts to glow, I just don't have time to stop it. There's an explosion, then the world goes black.

***

"I think he's waking up," I hear Sonja's voice in my head as I start to feel again. My head pounds with every word she says. It's something to concentrate on in order to wake myself up, though. It hurts my head but at least she's quiet.

"Oh, thank gods. Tucker! That stuff your boyfriend gave you worked!" Tom shouts the last part which makes me want to move away from him, but there isn't really enough room for me to do so. I guess if I'm in bed that makes sense though I can't imagine why I'd be there.

"He's not my boyfriend! You know that you- You know what I'm not having this conversation again!" Tucker's farther away, making the shouting make sense. I try to figure out who Tucker's 'boyfriend' is. I knew at one point, I'm sure about that, but it's been months. It must have slipped my mind. Is that bad?

"Tom, don't you have a shouting match when Wag's recovering from an explosion," Explosion? What explos- Oh gods! I shoot up ignoring the splitting pain in my head as I start trying to move to my ritual room. It can't be too late. I have to finish it or else... She'll be...

"Wag, calm down. You've been out for a week. You can't be moving about straight away."

"A week...?" I force out after hearing Tom's worried statement. I can't have been out for that long... not when I didn't finish. After a week it's surely found the girl again and completed its task. There's no way to track it down. It'll have disappeared after the completion of its task. After all the time I've failed to make sure it stays trapped. I couldn't save her from it. All of this was just delaying it.


	7. Dancing Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a stressful morning, Jordan has a talk with one of Capsize's friends.

Jordan

I find myself lost for what to do with myself given the situation. I was sure this was going to be a normal day but as soon as Capsize woke up I was proven wrong. After a few months here I thought I was prepared for anything but Capsize waking up crying, unable to be consoled, I was proved wrong. She seemed so scared, more scared than I've ever seen her before. As soon as Redbeard found out he took her to Elder Idlestorm but he wouldn't tell me why she was so upset.

Since then I've been sat outside hoping that the fresh air will clear my mind. It hasn't worked but right now I don't feel like going inside. Honestly facing Redbeard right now sounds nauseating. Not because I don't like the man but just how he looked this morning. The amount of guilt that was on his features when he looked at Capsize, it honestly scared me.

"You okay, Wolfie?" I turn surprised when I hear a voice, not sure who would actually be talking to me. Despite being here for quite a while, no one outside of Capsize's family really interacts with me. They still see me as an outsider. I know that. Surprising I do recognise the woman standing in front of me.

"Lotus, right?" I ask a little nervous. I've seen her around quite a bit, and I think she's friends with Capsize and Redbeard. I've not really talked with her a lot myself. Yet she looks at me with a smile.

"That's right, Wolfie," She says as she sits next to me. I try not to question the nickname since everyone uses them around here and instead try to focus on the woman who's sitting down. Like nearly every fairy in this tribe, she has darker skin and wings. Hers looks like they're from a bird. Like Redbeard, she has red hair but its lighter in colour sort of pink. She's always seemed friendly enough. "So, you gonna tell me why you've been moping out here for the past hour?"

"An hour? Really? Anyway, Capsize was crying this morning, and she's with the Elder right now so I don't really have anything to do," I explain after the slight panic at how weird I must look having been out here for so long. The reason why I'm out here in the first place doesn't do me any favours. Lotus frowns with a knowing look.

"She's probably just had a nightmare. I wouldn't worry too much, Idlestorm's probably just calming her down," It takes a second for exactly what she said to click. A nightmare is what I couldn't figure out. Am I really that dumb? I even know about her trouble telling dreams and visions apart so of course a nightmare would cause this kind of reaction. Lotus smiles at me. "It's nice that you're worried, though. Capsize will probably glow a little brighter for a few days if she finds out."

"Why?" I ask, feeling a little dumb as Lotus laughs. I know that fairies basically run on emotions but that doesn't mean that my emotions should affect Capsize. She is beautiful when she glows though, not least because her glow is always brightest when she's at her least anxious. I know the two things are linked, just not exactly how. It does make it hard to think about the old tale about a fairy dying from a broken heart.

"Because... well, you know what I have a better plan," She says instead of answering my question. She shifts a little closer to me, looking around as if someone listening would be a bad thing. "Has Capsize told you about the scale festival?"

"Yeah, it's in a few weeks, and it's a festival about the lost goddess. They'll be food and dancing, that kind of stuff," Capsize made it sound pretty normal. I was still excited though since I've never really been to festivals given how I lived. It sounded like it would be some fun at least but Capsize didn't really seem to think so. She seemed nervous just talking about it.

"Well, she at least told you about it. Capsize doesn't exactly like the festival but I think maybe this year we can change that," Lotus seems weirdly positive about this. Why try and make Capsize enjoy something that she doesn't like? I mean, I'd like to be with her during the festival but if she doesn't want to, I can make do. I'd even just stay with her if she wanted. Maybe I'm just a pushover. "See after an... I'll say, incident a few years ago, Capsize stopped liking the festival but if you take her she might actually enjoy it again."

"Why did she stop liking it in the first place?" 'Incident' is about as vague as you can get. Anything could've happened but the way Lotus looks I feel like it must have been serious. She avoids eye contact with me making it even more obvious this incident isn't something to be taken lightly.

"It's really not my place to say, or Capsize's for that matter. You'll find out eventually, I'm sure you'll be told when the person is comfortable enough with you. Sorry, I shouldn't have even mentioned it," She murmurs under her breath looking at the door of the house we're outside for some reason. I guess this isn't a conversation we should be having so if someone came out... I'll just hope they don't. "But either way, you want to help Capsize have a good time at the festival for once?"

"Depends how I'd do that," I'm honestly not sure how I'd get Capsize to enjoy the festival. Even if she'd be happy, I don't want to do anything that could harm her in the long run. Lotus smiles at me.

"All you need to do is dress up nicely and dance with her at the festival," I blink. It can't be that easy, can it? It shouldn't be anyway, she'd like the festival again already if she just wanted to dance with somebody. Yet as Lotus talks, I find myself smiling thinking about dancing with Capsize so maybe I'll go along with this plan. After all, what's the harm in it?


	8. Bliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom decides to check on the werewolf he hoarded.

Tom

I know I'm not supposed to be out here. It's not that there are any rules against it, but I told Sonja and Wag I wouldn't. They'd find it odd, I'm not usually the kind of person to lie to them but tonight I just feel on edge. I know why, or at least I think I do. It's the first full moon since the werewolf got his memories back. So here I am, breaking my promise to my boyfriend and girlfriend, watching the sunset.

I know I shouldn't wait anymore, the past transformations all had the same effect on him. All of them made him nervous but normally he's nervous for the full day but he hasn't been today. It's stupid and pointless waiting, but I just thought this time it would be different. Maybe now he's back with the person he loves so much he'll finally show his true feelings. If not then I'll just have to deal with knowing he won't be happy exactly once a month.

Slowly, the sun starts to disappear below the hills, the sky turning red. It's beautiful, but I close my eyes to ignore it and instead focus on the werewolf. I won't feel it straight away. So, for a tense few moments, I feel nothing. Then I feel the best thing I've felt in a while when I've focused on the werewolf. Bliss. I feel bliss.


	9. A Quiet Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Redbeard has a quiet moment and is greeted by an unexpected but welcome visitor.

Redbeard

I sit listening to the sounds of Will and 'Nita playing, a smile sitting comfortably on my face. They need to have some time to just play more often. They shouldn't have to worry about what the rest of us do. I know growing up in our family isn't easy but they don't need to be worried about that right now. Capsize may have been forced to accept her role early but there's no reason for them too.

Today is quiet. That's why they're playing in the first place. For seemingly the first time in weeks, I haven't been given any tasks. Capsize and Jordan both are with Elder Idlestorm, but Capsize never minds that and Jordan enjoys doing anything with Capsize. It's lucky and somewhat adorable. It means I don't have to worry about them being unhappy about what they're done today. I'm alone but that's okay, I can cope with that.

For a while I'm just thinking, lost in my own thoughts, but then I'm pulled into reality. A creaking noise turns my attention to the back of the house. I remind myself to keep calm, even as my wings flap frantically, as it's probably just Capsize or Jordan. That doesn't stop terrible thoughts sticking in my head, the idea that it's someone who shouldn't be here refusing to get out of my head.

I turn into the room to see what's going on. As the logical side of my thoughts are telling me it isn't an intruder, it isn't a stranger. Yet somehow the person standing there surprises me more.

"Dad?" I ask, not quite understanding what I'm seeing. He isn't meant to be home yet. I mean I'm not upset since it's great when he's home but I'm still confused. Did something go wrong at one of the other tribes?

"Red, good to see someone's here," He says, a tired look in his eyes like he always has when he gets back from the other tribes. He does legitimately look happy to see me, though. It makes sense. He usually comes in when no one's here so this must be a change of pace. It's certainly a change of pace to be with someone during the day when I'm not working. He wraps his arms around me. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too Dad," I always do miss him when he's gone and he's nearly always gone because of his work. It's not his fault, but it sometimes feels like he's never here. It had been months before he met Jordan. Him coming back early is still worrying, though. The only time he's back early is when something's gone wrong. I think he realises my concern because he pulls away from the hug, his wings much more still than they normally are, showing me a smile.

"Come on, I want to talk to you before anyone else gets back," He says, leading me back into the living room to sit down. A few ideas of what he could want to talk about run through my head. I try to ignore them because they're all so negative. I'm sure he isn't really going to tell me about some incoming destruction or war. Even if there was one coming, it wouldn't be his place to tell me, that's for the Elder's to know. When he sits next to me, he seems far more relaxed then if he was going to tell me bad news. "So, what have I missed?"

"Not too much," He hasn't been gone long enough to miss anything major. He knows Jordan is back which was the real last major event. There are small things I can tell him, he likes to know what's been going on even if it is small. "Will and 'Nita have been enjoying the weather being warmer, Capsize has been feeling better now she's found Jordan, and... well, I met someone interesting in the village."

"A human?" Dad asks, clearly intrigued. The humans in the village, while not openly hostile to us, aren't all that friendly to us. I doubt they'd actually stand us if our dust wasn't worth its weight in gold to them. I shake my head. He wasn't human, he was very close to not being anything.

"No, he was a vampire. I think I saved his life,” There’s still some horror in my thoughts when I remember the scene Will and I came across. Seeing a crowd gathering around someone dying on the ground, just watching. I know vampires have a bad reputation, but that's no reason to just let them burn. I try to figure out Dad's expression, how he feels that I've been interacting with a vampire.

"That's great Red. Are you seeing him again anytime?" I feel a weight being taken off my chest as I realise, he's not unhappy about the situation. I'm not even sure why I thought he would be. While he was worried about Capsize being punished for what she did, he was never worried about Jordan being unsafe for her to interact with. He just saw how happy she was. He didn't even question why she spent the full moons with him, not that she'd be unwilling to give an answer.

"I'm not sure, he said he'll be in the village again in a few days. I’m just not sure if I should meet him,” It’s not that I don’t want to see him again. I really do want to see him. I’ve just never felt like this before. I know it's stupid. I'm raising Will and I'm pretty much raising 'Nita, yet thinking about meeting another person I got along with is what makes me nervous. It's not even a type of nerves I can describe. It's like nothing I've experienced before.

"Red, how do you feel when you're around him?" I find myself lost in my thoughts, trying to find the right word. I'm not actually sure if I can since I've never felt like this before. Then some words echo in my head, the words that Capsize used when she described how she felt when she's with Jordan.

"Warm, warm enough that it affects my glow," I say the words nervously, not sure if they're actually true. It always seems right when Capsize said them but I can't find the confidence saying them myself. Yet Dad smiles at me, taking my hand as he must realise the lack of confidence I have about that sentence.

"If that's really how you feel, go and meet him."


	10. Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a visit to Mot and Alyssa, Tom receives two sets of bad news.

Tom

"Come on, you need to see," Alyssa says as she leads me through the rooms of her and Mot's home. I feel my smile growing as she does so, wondering what kind of plant she's grown this time. She's only ever this excited about her flowers. I understand why. It's the same excitement I feel about my horde. Even though I don’t have the same connection to the plants as her, I understand her feelings. I know she gets excited just thinking about them, that’s enough to make me smile.

I've seen her and Mot's hordes before. Obviously, I have with how often I visit them and the fact I lived with them for quite a while. They're seen (well, met) mine too so it's fair that I see their hordes too. I think it makes us closer together, but that's just my opinion, I don't really know for sure. If sharing makes Alyssa as happy as it makes me then I'm up for looking at her ever-expanding collection of plants.

It's always somewhat overwhelming to step into her greenhouse, the smell so different from the rest of the house. It's much bigger than a normal greenhouse, split into sections with different temperatures in each one. It would cost a normal person a fortune with the amount of magic is uses but Dianite isn't one to worry about price. It's odd to think about Dianite paying for all this. It's honestly still odd thinking that I was basically raised by a god, but I essentially was. Dianite still provides Mot and me with everything we could ever need.

Alyssa continues leading me until we’re in front of a bush. I’ve seen her tending it a few times. If she is showing it to me now, it must have flowered. She reaches for a certain part of the bush, pulling a branch forward carefully to show me.

"It finally flowered, and Dad said you know how to de-thorn roses," Alyssa says, showing me a bloomed yellow rose. I feel a brief warmth in my chest that I try to ignore as I know it's just that a member has a connection to roses. I instead try to focus on Alyssa's smile, her fangs visible due to how wide it is, and I smile back at her.

"Sure, I don't mind-"

"Tom, are you in here?" I hear Mot call. I give Alyssa an apologetic look as I turn back towards the way we came in. I really do want to stay with her but, given what I asked Mot to do I can't leave him hanging. Hopefully, he's got the news from Dianite about the werewolf.

"Yeah, I'm here," I call, moving towards where he's standing. While I've not always got along with him, he's family or as close as I have anyway. He's always going to be there. His close relationship with Dianite is also sort of useful for situations where I really need the god to know something quickly, like this whole werewolf situation. It didn’t even start as something that needed Dianite. It’s progressed so quickly though, in such a short about of time. I needed Dianite to get the message as quickly as possible. "Not good news then? Was messing with the werewolf that bad?"

"That bad?! I thought Dia was going to explode! The tribe that took him in is apparently the only one with any leads on finding the lost goddess! Now I have to go back with you to sort this mess out!" Mot starts, making my nerves worse as I think about what exactly sorting the situation out could entail, even if the werewolf is already back with the tribe. I start to respond but suddenly a splitting pain goes through my head. I start to panic. I quickly try to connect to every member of my horde. I need to figure out who is in trouble. However, with the pain, it’s hard to concentrate long enough to form the connection. I don’t know how I ended up on my knees. I’m not even sure when Mot stopped talking. In the moment of realisation, though, I make sure to get out the words I need to.

"We have to go back now."


	11. Bravery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Capsize makes a decision in order to protect those around her, even though she knows what's coming what she's always been scared of.

Capsize

I feel more nervous than I've ever been, too nervous to calm myself down made even worse because I can't let the nerves show. If anyone figures out what I'm going to do, they'll try and stop me. People will end up getting hurt if they do that. I can't let that happen. They'll understand later, I'm sure they'll understand why I had to stop them from getting hurt.

No one knows what's going to happen. Well, that's not quite true. I told Will and 'Nita that I was going away. I didn't tell them for how long or where I was going because I don't know myself but I hated the idea of not telling them. This way everyone will know I knew this was coming, Will and 'Nita will ask how I can be missing when I told them I was going away. Maybe that'll help everyone else forgive me.

As far as Red, Dad, and Jordan are aware this is a completely normal day. I hugged Dad and mussed about how tired he looked as I often do when he's home. While it took a lot for me not to cry during the hug, I'm glad he was here. If he'd come back home to me being missing... I don't even want to imagine his reaction. I'm not sure if it was harder or easier to talk to Red. He seemed to know something was wrong, but I couldn't tell him that. So instead, I just pretended to be okay, just reminding him I loved him because sometimes he needs to be reminded about that.

Jordan's with me now. He wanted to come with me, and I couldn't say no without making it clear something's wrong. So now I’m running words through my head, trying to think of what to say to him. I need to say something before I have to leave him. What can I say that’ll make him willing to leave? The second will be the harder of the two but both are important and since I know I have limited time, I know I have to start talking.

"Jordan if something were to happen to me, if I went missing, you'd come and find me, right?" It's an odd thing to ask I know. For once, Jordan also seems to realise, stopping in his stride to look at me. I try not to avoid his gaze, despite how guilty his concerned eyes make me feel. He obviously doesn't know I'd feel this way, so I don't want to confuse him.

"Of course, Cap. Of course, I would. Just like you found me, remember," For a moment I don't, the stress I'm facing right now making it hard to think. As I remember, I smile because he sees that as enough to find me without question. I know that he is questioning, though, there's no way he couldn't be but at least he didn't ask the question first. "You are alright though, I shouldn't be worried?"

"Of course, I am, I just-" A feeling of something watching me stops me in my tracks. It's here, but I haven't even had time to tell him everything I wanted to. I almost want to break down, but I can't, it won't help. If I don't act, Jordan will end up getting hurt. "I need to do something alone today, I'm just a little nervous. You know how the mind wanders."

"By today, when do you-"

"Now," I say, cutting Jordan off. I don't mean to but I'm not sure how patient the thing is. It's already waited for fifteen years. Even a few minutes could be pushing it. Even so, I face Jordan hoping my weak smile doesn't look fake. He doesn't need to know this is more than just nerves and silly thoughts. "Just stay here, it probably won't take more than two minutes."

"Okay, just be careful," I kiss him on the cheek. I feel bad about lying but knowing he'll understand in the end. Lying just stops him from following me right now into the clearing where I know this has to happen. The clearing where I saw it the first time. This time though, I won't be saved. This time it'll succeed I'm sure but I'm not scared of that reality, not anymore.

"Hello, little one," I hear it behind me, breathing onto the back of my neck before I turn around to face it. It's the creature from fifteen years ago, that's for sure, but it's not exactly how I remember it. Somehow it doesn't scare me like I thought it would, the actual figure being nothing compared to the nightmarish one I created in my mind. "You knew I was coming."

"Yes, you have come to take me somewhere," I say, hoping my dream, the voice, was telling the truth. The creature seems to nod, to confirm my words (though that may be my imagination). He reaches towards me, as he did all those years ago. I take a step back, a single question still in my mind to ask. "Will it hurt?"

"No. I was told not to harm the little one," With that answer in my mind to both calm and scare me, I let it touch me. My head almost immediately turns fuzzy, and I realise I'm being knocked out. I shouldn't be scared, though. I trust Jordan. He'll come and find me. I know he will.


	12. Meeting with an Empty Chair (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knowing that they need to help with the situation they helped cause, Mot takes the champion of the gods to the fairies, hoping to get an audience with the Elder to explain the situation.

Waglington

"So, does anyone need me to go back over the rules?" Mot asks with crossed arms, looking over each one of us. Of course, he has a reason to be acting like this even if it definitely feels like we're being treated like children. That idea is more insulting given the fact that Alyssa is stood next to Mot being the only one not being told off. I can understand why he’s angry. He’s basically being forced to clean up the mess that we made. Even so, it’s not like we’re avoiding helping.

"I think my rule is unfair," Tom mutters, his pouting making it seem that maybe us being treated like children maybe isn't unreasonable. Tom doesn't ever react well to rules, though, so I can't say it's unsurprising that he's acting this way. However, it doesn't make it easier that Mot is definitely using him as the standard for the rest of us. Then again Tom is the only person with his own rule so maybe Mot's just angry with him in particular. "It's not like hoarding people is going to hurt them."

"You are not hoarding any more people from this tribe because Dia will kill me. Even if he doesn’t, he'll be complaining about you for weeks. That is something that is always _fun_ for him to do seeing that you don’t live with us," Mot says. His tone betrays how close he is to actually killing Tom this time. Tom pouts some more, making me sigh and take his hand. He probably just doesn't understand why he's in trouble when he's been trying to help fix this.

"I hate to interrupt but who are you lot?" A voice comes which, when I see the owner of it, I feel a pip in my stomach. It's a young woman with a pinkish colour hair and hummingbird wings on her back and two short swords hanging from her belt. A fairy, well at least we have a way in now. She eyes all of us, eyes holding on Tucker for quite a while though that isn’t weird behaviour since he's literally showing no skin. Eventually, she settles her gaze on Sonja. "Well, at least I won't get in trouble for one of you being here."

"Yes... err, I'm Sonja," She says, holding out her hand. The fairy shakes it, a loose smile on her face as she looks among us. Sonja, a fae, will be allowed into the tribe lands. However, it'll be hard for the rest of us to be allowed since fairies have strict rules for these things. I can't even imagine how the werewolf got to be allowed to stay here.

"Lotus. I hope you don't mind me asking what you're doing here. We've had a rough few weeks," While she smiles, she's clearly trying to hide her true feelings. Though maybe it wouldn't be so clear if I didn't know what she was hiding, that the girl had been taken.

"We were hoping to talk to your elder," Sonja tries to appear as if she knows what she's talking about rather than just repeating back what Mot said we were going to do. Lotus bites her lip, her whole body tensing as she clearly can't do what we want her to.

"I... I know Redbeard if that helps," Tucker speaks up. Lotus freezes but suddenly she smiles after looking Tucker up and down. She laughs a little.

"That actually does, give me a few minutes to see what I can do."

***

Redbeard

I don't dare open the door as I can hear Jordan on the other side. He's been in there for days, crying as he attempts to find any clue Capsize might've left behind. None of us have exactly been doing well but it's hit Jordan the hardest. He was the last person to see her after all. He's so sure that he could've done something to stop the situation. I can't fault his way of thinking even if he shouldn't be blaming himself because he's just trying to cope.

Cope... I'm thinking as if she's dead. She isn't dead, though, I'm sure about that. Capsize knew this was going to happen, she told Will and 'Nita she was going anyway. If she thought she was going to die, she wouldn't have kept it a secret. I'm sure she wouldn't. She even told Jordan that she needed to do something alone minutes before she disappeared. If she was going to die, she wouldn't have left him without telling him something. The one undeniable thing is Capsize knew something was going to happen to her but didn't do anything to stop it from happening. What could've happened? What could she have seen to think that she needed to... why couldn't tell us?

I hear footsteps coming towards me, a lump forming in my throat. I'm not sure if I can talk to people right now. If it's Dad then maybe but if it's anyone else then I'm sure I'll struggle to get even a word out. Despite how I've been telling Jordan not to blame himself, everyone trying to comfort me has made me uncomfortable. Somehow, I'm quite sure this is my fault. I should've stopped her when I thought something was wrong rather than letting her talk her way out of it.

"Red? Are you here?" I hear Lotus call down the hall, being quieter than she normally would, being careful. It isn't weird, she is Capsize's friend and isn't doing well with the situation either. She's at least been productive while the rest of us haven't. She's taken all the guard duties possible. It's basically just busy work, but she's at least doing something. It's more than I can say about myself anyway. "I need to talk to you."

"I'm here, Lotus," I say getting up and moving a little away from the door, not sure if Jordan will want to hear the conversation. If it's anything about Capsize he'll end up more upset. Maybe I'm selfish, but I'd prefer to avoid that when I'm not feeling all that good myself. If he really needs to know I'll figure something out. I'd just prefer to keep him being okay for as long as possible.

Lotus comes down the corridor. She's calmer than she normally is as if she's trying to be calm. That idea worries me more than it should. It's silly, why is her being calm make me worried? Either way, she smiles at me clearly having just come from guard duty from the weapons on her belt. It's odd, she should still be on duty if the past few days are anything to go by. Maybe she's just been let off early.

"Good to see you're okay," She says as if that could be true. I'm better than other people are right now but I'm not okay. Despite that, I try to smile. If I pretend then I'm at least not going to make her feel worse. "I err... need you to come with me. I hope that's okay."

"Come with you where?" I ask confused. Has she found someone when on duty? If she has though then why would she need me? I'm not meant to meet anyone who would be stopped by the guards. If I were then, I'd be on duty myself right now if only to distract myself. She could get in trouble for this. I don't want her in trouble.

"Look there are a few people who want to come into the tribe, one of them says he knows you. Idlestorm is coming too, but we need you to confirm the claim," I feel a pit in my stomach. There's only one person I know outside of the tribe who would actually say they know me: Tucker. I can't think of a reason he would be here. It's dangerous for him to be out during the day. If he's here, it must be important. There are lingering questions in my head, though.

"Why is Idlestorm coming?" Idlestorm doesn't just go to meet people. People don't typically want to meet her either. So why is she going to talk to Tucker? It makes me more nervous than I want to admit. I could already get in trouble if people realise I gave him some of my dust. I shouldn’t because I do have permission to give away dust. If people think I’m purposely making more, though, I might not be in trouble but they’d certainly be worried. I really don't want to have that conversation right now.

"They want to speak to her. It's easier that way," She shrugs as if this is a normal occurrence. This is worrying, though. I can't be overreacting, I'm sure I can't be. If I were, Lotus wouldn't be looking at me like she is, with a worried look she's attempting to hide with a calm smile. She places a hand on my shoulder. "Come on, it'll take your mind off things."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll be out in a minute," I say, rubbing my hands over my face. I'm so tired. I hadn't realised until now but everything with Capsize while still having to look after Will and 'Nita had made me so tired. I can do this, though. I'm sure I can do this. So, with one last look towards the door of Capsize's room and thought about the werewolf still sat inside, I head down the hallway to meet Lotus.

***

Tucker

I shift nervously as the situation sets in more and more. I shouldn't be here, I shouldn't be doing this. Red isn't going to like me after this when he finds out what I did to the werewolf he said was a part of his family. He's going to kill me or hate me or something. Everything about our relationship is going to be ruined before it could properly begin.

The others don't notice anything is wrong. I don't blame them. They all have their own problems with the situation, but it reminds me once again that I'm not as connected as the rest of them are. Even after all this time, there's still that lingering feeling in my mind that I don't belong. If I told the others, I'm pretty sure they'd reassure me and tell me how much they care. I've never told them, though, because of the fear of them not doing so. That feeling mixed with the overwhelming idea of Redbeard hating me makes me want to run away even though that's not an option anymore.

"They were through here," The voice of the woman comes through the trees. She leads two others with her, one who I don't recognise and one I definitely do. The first is an older woman, almost definitely the elder we came here to talk to, while the other is, well, Redbeard. The same, brilliant Redbeard I've come to know. The only difference is that he doesn't have the smile I'm used to him having, but I know why that is. If what Wag and Tom have said is true, his sister is the missing fairy.

"Tucker," Redbeard almost sighs in relief as if seeing me is a good thing. Of course, he would think that though, he doesn't know why I'm here. As soon as he realises why I'm here, he'll hate me even if he doesn't want to. Even so, he hugs me, not as he usually would since he obviously doesn't want to expose any of my skin. Despite that, the hug is warm, welcoming. It’s almost enough to make me forget why I'm worried. Almost because I can see the look on Tom's face that I know means he's already broken Mot's rule for him. Red pulls back. "Why are you here?"

"I..." The words feel stuck in my throat. I need to tell him but every thought in my mind is so sure he'll hate me if I do. He looks concerned as I struggle to say anything just from remembering how he's talked about his family, his sister and the werewolf. He loved both of them, talking about them with so much pride and happiness, and we've messed everything up for them. I need to tell him. Just be brave, Tucker. "We... there's something I haven't told you."

"What do you mean?" I can't take this. He keeps staring at me but if he knew. I start crying, I don't want to but I can't stop myself. Everything is overwhelming me, even my own thoughts. Red touches my shoulder, making me feel guiltier than I already do.

"We were the ones who made him leave, we took away his memories," I'm crying, and Red clearly doesn't understand what I'm talking about. I don't want to say anything beyond what I have, and I don't think my body will actually let me. I'll ruin everything I have with him, even if it isn't anything yet. Slowly, he starts having the realisation I've been dreading, the look on his face clearly showing me that.

"You were the ones who attacked Jordan," I almost flinch at the use of the word attacked. Almost because I know it's the right word to use. He'd done nothing wrong, but we took what was basically everything from him because we thought he knew something he shouldn't. What's wrong with us? I wouldn't be surprised if Red never forgives me yet he looks more surprised than angry. It's almost like he doesn't believe the situation at all. "Then why are you here now?"

"I... we..."

"I believe someone from your tribe may have been taken by a creature I'd been attempting to keep imprisoned for the past fifteen years. We also believe we may be able to help you track and find the missing fairy."


	13. Meeting with an Empty Chair (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After days of attempting to find any clues that Capsize may have left behind, a nearly broken Jordan is forced to meet with the last people he wants in the current situation.

Jordan

There's nothing here. I've been searching through everything that might be a clue, but there's nothing. I don't understand why Capsize hasn't left any clues as to what happened to her. She knew that she was going to be taken. She told Will and ‘Nita that she was going away and she told me she needed to do something alone. So why aren’t there any clues about where she was going to be taken? There aren’t even any clues about how she was going to go missing. I don't understand it. Why didn't she tell me anything?

I hear a knock at the door that makes me panic a little. I know that everyone has been worried about me, but that doesn't change the fact that I need to do this. If I had just followed her then she might still be here. Despite that I know I have to get up. I've put enough stress on everyone. I'm not surprised when I open the door to find Capsize's father, Deadeye, on the other side, a tired look in his eyes. He smiles at me sadly.

"Elder Idlestorm wants us for a meeting, it's about Capsize," I feel my body tense as a sickness rises in my throat. I don't want to have to talk about Capsize when I've learnt nothing about where she could have gone. I know I have to go, but I really don't feel comfortable talking with anyone right now. If I don’t go, I’ll get in trouble. Possibly, it’ll be worse, and other people will get in trouble for not bringing me to where I’m meant to be. "She'll be fine in the end. She wouldn't have done this if she thought she was going to die."

"She just seemed so scared," I didn't even realise it at the time but now I can't stop myself thinking about her words before she left. I told her that I would find her if something happened. Just like she found me, I said, but I don't even know where to start looking.

I feel a hand being placed on my shoulder making me look up. Deadeye looks at me with a look on his face that makes me want to cry. Despite how he’s smiling in a comforting way, I can see the dark circles under his eyes. Beyond that, I can see how dim the glow around his body has become in the past week. No one's said it yet but I remember seeing Capsize with a dim glow, shimmering.

"Come on, it'll be okay," I don't think it will be, but I don't him to get into trouble so I walk with him to where the meeting is. I know I don't look very presentable right now. I haven't left Capsize's room in a few days so the idea of walking outside makes me a little uncomfortable. Especially since I know I always get stared at. It never bothered me when I was with Capsize but now she's gone, the attention bothers me more than it ever has before. The fact that the walk is relatively long doesn't make me feel any better.

When we actually get to the meeting hall, I'm not exactly sure what I expect to see. I have been in the meeting room before. It’s where Capsize and I often have discussions with Idlestorm about the lost goddess and things of a similar nature. It’s a nice enough building. There’s a firepit as the centrepiece of the main room. When it’s lit, it almost reads the atmosphere of the room as it's magic flames change colour. The back wall of the room is a stained-glass window depicts a woman dressed in purple. It isn’t the most detailed thing but Capsize said it was what they believed the lost goddess to look like. After learning that, I started filling in the details myself when looking at it.

What I didn’t expect is to see people I recognise. Well, no, that’s ridiculous. Of course, I expected to see people that I recognise. What I didn’t expect was to see _them_. Standing alongside Idlestorm, Redbeard, and Lotus are a group of people I hoped to never see again. The Champions of the Gods are in the meeting hall, looking exactly how I remember them. I stumble back, hitting the closed door as I stare at all of them. Why are they here? Why do they all seem like they’re nervous? Why is Redbeard holding one of their hands as if he knows them?

"Hey. Hey mate, calm down," The person who speaks is what makes me realise there are two people in the room who are strangers to me. One is a younger girl. She not as young as ‘Nita or Will, not even close, but still, she’s a child. The other is a man, the person who told me to calm down. Both have parts of their faces that are covered with scales, much like one of the champions. "Believe me, if any of this lot do anything to you, they'll have the gods' wrath to deal with."

"You don't have to keep reminding us about that," The scaled champions mutters, gaining a glare from the man who just talked to me. I don’t think I quite understand what’s going on but I can’t trust them. They took away my memories once. What’s to stop them from doing it again? With Capsize waiting for me to help her, I can't let them happen. The scaled champion suddenly turns his attention to me. "But please don't be scared. We... we came here to apologise as well as help you. I know that you don't believe me because well, why would you, I've been feeling how much you hate me for months but I... we really do want to help you find her."

He keeps rambling, slowly becoming hysterical that almost makes me feel sorry for him, despite how what he's saying makes no sense. He's talking as if he knows what I've been through, how I feel about him and the rest of his group. That's not the thing that really catches me off guard though, that's a different part of his ramblings. That part that both worried me and forces me to consider what he's saying is that he seems to be referring to Capsize. Not only referring to her but implying he wants to help find her.

"What are you talking about?" Deadeye is the one to finally interrupt the rambling man, who just looks at him, tears already spilling onto his face. It seems for a moment that no one knows what to say to him. That is until Redbeard speaks.

"It's Capsize, Dad. They think that they can help us find her."

***

Sonja

The air in the room is undeniably uncomfortable. It's expected considering what we're discussing but I can't say I like it. Tom's already in tears. The werewolf, Jordan I think, still looks terrified. I assume that’s why Tom is upset. I knew coming into this that it was going to take a while for him to warm upto us but I didn't think it would reduce Tom to tears to just be in the same room as him.

I'm not sure if Redbeard's words added to or took away from the amount of time this conversation is going to take. It has caused a look to appear on the two newcomers’ faces that makes me feel calmer about this situation. Especially since Redbeard referred to the fairy as his dad. That and we need Jordan to at least be willing to talk to us.

"But they're the ones who took away my..." Jordan trails off either not wanting to or being unable to finish his statement. Tom lets out a sob and I, along with Wag, kneel next to him to comfort him. I don’t mind the way Jordan is reacting but I know Tom does. He hates knowing that someone in his horde has negative feelings towards him. Even if they are somewhat reasonable. The werewolf stares at us. "Why do you want to help now?"

"If we knew you were a part of a fairy tribe, we would have helped you back then," I don't expect him to believe me. Even if I am telling the truth. He just looks confused honestly, which is far better than anger but it isn't the best thing he could be feeling right now. The fairies in the room also seem confused, so I guess we owe an explanation, especially if we actually want to help them. "We were just doing what we thought we were supposed to do."

"They're meant to stop anyone but fairies from figuring out about the lost goddess. They should've asked more questions before doing their job," Mot says in a very matter of fact way. I'm surprised he doesn't go more into how badly we messed up. Given how annoyed he's been with us I presume that he just wants to get this over with. I can't blame him with how far he's had to travel.

"I don't-"

"Just tell me, please, what do you know about my daughter? I don't care how long a story it is, just tell me," Redbeard's dad says, hushing Jordan as he does so. Despite how I already knew their relations with each other, hearing the man refer to the missing fairy, as his daughter makes me feel much guiltier about this situation. He looks so lost, staring at us as if we're holding hope in front of him which I suppose, in a way, we are. I don't know where to even start explaining, but Wag must because he stands up and walks towards the man.

"Fifteen years ago, I was observing a half-life, a sort of, I suppose demon, that you can summon to do a single task for you. I was just observing it, making sure it didn't cause any trouble when it attacked a small group of fairies in order to try and capture a child. I captured it that day. I kept it imprisoned until it managed to overpower me about a week ago," A look of realisation and I think recognition grows on the fairy man's face. I suppose that makes sense since, if what Wag is saying is true, then there's no reason the man wouldn't have been with his daughter that day. I honestly wasn’t sure whether to believe Wag because the story sounded so unbelievable. Especially considering that he had never brought up anything about it before. However, I have to assume that the father of the girl he supposedly saved would know what happened better than me. "I don't know how it overpowered me, but it did and I'm sorry."

"So, it came back for her after all this time? Are you going to track down the half-life?" The man asks, looking even more confused when Wag shakes his head. I try not to look at them too much because I know that we need to make a good impression for them to listen to us. I do look at Tom to try to make sure he's okay to tell everyone the plan.

"It won't be on this plain anymore. No, we have a more... a direct way of tracking where she is."

"I don't understand," Jordan murmurs looking at all of us with a look of confusion and tears on his face. I understand why, even if it makes me nervous for how Tom is going to respond to him when I know he's already nervous. "Even if you do want to help find Capsize, how do you have a way to find her? I don't even think she knows where she is."

"No... she knows where she is, at least she knows enough that I know where she is too."

***

Tom

I only realise how odd I must sound after I've already spoken and can't take my words back. Already I can feel all the fairies staring at me even though that should be a good thing, right? It’s not like I want to keep her there because I really don’t. However, every time I link to her, I’m filled with fear. I feel as if I’m being held in place by some incredible force.

I doubt any of them know how dragons work, in fact, I can feel that most of them don't. I know that Mot told me not to horde anyone but so many of them are related that it felt wrong not to horde them all. There's nothing wrong with doing it I'm sure, just as long as Mot doesn't find out what I've done. It feels so nice to have so many members of my horde in one room too. It’s almost enough that I feel the need to link to ‘Capsize’. Just to pretend that she’s here too.

It’s silly because I haven’t even met her and only just learnt her name. However, knowing how special she is to Jordan as well as the other people here makes me sure that she should be here too. I’m not going to tell them that I’m doing it right now since that would seem weird. It makes me feel more comfortable, though. Despite the situation and how Capsize feels.

"It's only even because of you that I can feel where she is," I tell Jordan hoping that knowing that he helped will make him less upset about the situation. He shouldn't be upset when he's done nothing wrong. If we'd been more careful, he never would've ended up in a situation like this. Even if he never forgives me, I want to do this, to help him find the person that makes him happy.

"How could I have done that?" He asks, looking at me confused as I sort of expected him to. It's important that he does know though, well, it is to me anyway. I probably seem weird to him, but I don't mind that so long as I make it clear that we're here to help. "I mean, I've not seen you other than when you... you..."

"I know, it's hard to explain. It's a dragon thing," I honestly hope no one will question me on that even if I could give a better explanation if I actually wanted to. Jordan's eyes widen and I realise he must not have figured out that I'm a dragon now. I really thought it was obvious. "I... I mean, I could try to let you feel where she is if you want."

"Could you let me feel where she is?" The dad of Redbeard and Capsize asks me. I hesitate for a moment. I've never actually done this before, but I know I can do it, Dianite told me how when I was younger. I'm sure I paid enough attention. I must have. I've already linked to her as I attempt to do what I know is possible, focusing on trying to transfer what I'm feeling to the other man. I'm not actually sure if it works until he speaks again. "If you're serious about going to find Capsize then I can get you halfway."

"Dad, you can't! Transporting so many people is dangerous when you're not shimmering. You could end up..." While I don't understand all the words, I know that Redbeard sounds genuinely scared. I don’t want to assume anything, though. Assuming things is what landed us in this situation in the first place. However, I’m sure that if he does what he’s offering that something bad will happen.

"He's right. You can't do this. There need to be fewer people by half for it to be safe," The Elder says, sounding concerned which is why it's especially worrying when the man shakes his head. He looks up with a very serious look on his face.

"I know that I might lose the use of my legs, maybe even my wings, but that's okay. I've done my travelling. I've done a lot of it, and if this will help all of you find Capsize, I'm willing to give up anything."


	14. Moonlight Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Capsize nervously attends a festival she would normally avoid.

Capsize

I try not to look annoyed because I know that Lotus must have put in a lot of effort to get me a dress without even telling me. However, I really can't make myself feel good about this situation. She knows I prefer to sit out the Scale Festival as much as I can so why is she so insistent that I go to the dance? It's not like anyone will actually miss me or have expected me to be there in the first place.

"Come on Cap. You look great," Lotus says as I attempt to go back into my room. Why does it matter how I look? That’s not something I was worried about. She knows that’s not what I was worried about. However, I still feel guilty thinking about not going when she’s put effort into finding something for me to wear. The dress does look lovely, it’s yellow and relatively plain but looks nice unlike a lot of dresses I’ve seen. It feels comfortable around my wings too, rather than tight like a lot of my clothes. "Plus, people will miss you if you don't go."

"No one thinks I'm coming," It's true. Dad and Red know that I never go to the Scale Festival anymore and they've explained to Will that I'm not going. They've asked me if I'm sure, but they're fine with me staying at home as long as I don't cause any trouble. It's not as if I leave the tribe lands whenever it's time for the festival. I'd just prefer not to leave my room, especially not when there's the half-finished drawing on my wall. What if I forget the colour of the dragon when I'm at the dance and it has to sit there forever unfinished? I can't stand the idea of that.

"Well, that's not completely true. I know one person who will definitely miss you," Despite how Lotus doesn't say any names, I know she means Jordan. Lovely Jordan, who's been so excited about the festival, almost enough to make me happy when I hear him ask about it. He really wants me to go, that much I can tell, but he's never pushed too hard. I honestly think that might be making me feel worse for not being with him. I've introduced him to the other tribe traditions, why am I so scared to do the same for this one? "Just go for a little while, for Wolfie."

"That's not his name," I mutter under my breath and see Lotus' smile grow as she realises that I'm not refusing to go. I still don't want to stay very long, but I want to make sure Jordan's okay. If anything goes wrong, I can just leave and do what I always do. Maybe Jordan will get bored and come with him. If he doesn’t want to though then I won’t force him. He has a right to enjoy the festival even if I don’t want to.

Lotus excitedly takes my hand, leading me towards the front door. She's basically flying, her wings flapping faster than I thought possible even for her. I feel sick almost as soon as we step outside the house. That, despite how I know there’s a good minute of walking before we arrive at the dance. Yet, when we do leave, the night air hitting my face, I don't feel as scared as I was inside.

As we get to the centre of the tribe, I have to admit it's beautiful. Lanterns are strung above what's a makeshift dance floor, bathing the area in purple light. Each of the tables around the area is decorated in different but equally brilliant ways that I remember always amazed me as a child. It’s confusing to me since I haven’t attended this part of the festival in years. Yet, Lotus weaves through the tables as if it’s second nature to her.

“Look who I brought,” I blink. I don’t quite realise what’s going on for a few minutes. I blush as soon as I realise we’re at the table that everyone else in my family is sitting at along with Jordan. While Red’s a little distracted by Will, Dad smiles at me, seemingly happy to see me. Jordan just stares at me with such emotions on his face that I find myself blushing and avoiding his eyes.

"You look beautiful," I feel myself blush more as Jordan stands up and takes my hands. I can feel myself becoming embarrassed because I'm sure people are staring at me, despite how Jordan isn't really making a scene. He's dressed so nicely (not that he ever looks bad) despite how I didn't really give him any detailed description of what he should wear. "Do you want to dance?"

I feel words catch in my throat as I realise what he's asking. Dance? I mean, I certainly wouldn’t mind. It’s not as if there’s no one else doing so. I can picture something going wrong and me ending up embarrassed. It happens incredibly often. Somehow, though, in his arms, I feel safe. So I wordlessly nod, letting Jordan led me to the dance floor, finding myself feeling happy despite how nervous I feel being out here. Maybe with Jordan, this won't be so bad.


	15. Lonely Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the others start their preparations for the long journey ahead, Waglington speaks with a man he met once years ago.

Waglington

The more we prepare for this journey, the more nervous I get about it. I haven’t shared my concerns with any of the others. That isn’t because I don’t want them to know but more that I don’t want to bother them. They’re all preparing for the journey. This trip isn't just stressful for me, so I shouldn't bother the others with my nerves. So, I've left them to prepare in their own ways while I attempt to rid myself of my nerves.

I wonder if Tom knows how nervous I'm feeling, that's one of the things he often does know. Even if he did though he's being watched by Mot so closely. I don't think he'll be able to do anything to comfort me even if he really wants to. I really don't mind being by myself, though, since I've never really minded when my thoughts wander.

"Are you alright? You’ve been by yourself for quite a while,” I look up upon hearing a voice. It’s the older male fairy. The father of both Redbeard and the missing fairy, Capsize. I think they called him Deadeye which doesn't sound like a name but none of the fairies really to have normal names. He seems to be nice enough, though, and he is the fairy here I actually recognise even if it was such a long time ago.

"I'm fine, I'd prefer not to make anyone else nervous," I say as the man sits across from me. I half-expected him to leave but he doesn't, allowing me to take in his appearance. He doesn't look much different than the other fairies, though that's quite reasonable seeing how he's related to two of the ones I've seen. He has brown hair and stubble which, despite how fairies are usually thought of, is quite well kept and doesn't look at all wild. His eyes are bright green but have dark circles under them. That alone makes him seem tired but there are other signs too. His glow is so dim compared to every other fairy we’ve talked to and his dragonfly wings hang limply.

"You know, I didn't recognise you at first. You don't look any older than you did back then," I honestly feel a little embarrassed that he recognises me from back them. I shouldn't because I recognise him too, the man who held the young fairy tightly as the half-life came towards them. I had always wondered what would've happened if I hadn't been there but I push the thoughts out of my head. The worst has already happened, don't imagine it did years ago. "I always assumed you were human but clearly I was wrong."

"I am mostly human. I was born completely human," Deadeye laughs, not like he doesn't believe me but like he's heard similar stories. The idea of that is sort of amazing to me. I’ve never met someone like me. I didn’t think anyone else would be stupid enough to do what I did. If he’s reacting like this though then it must be true. There are others like me. "A ritual I was doing went wrong, ended up mixing my blood with a demon's."

"It seems every 'human' magic user in the world has a similar story. None that I've met have managed to stay completely human," I feel a smile on my face. I'm not the only one, I'm not even in the minority. Gods, this makes me feel so much better about that ritual. I mean, I know it has let me live a lot longer than I would've as a human. I still felt embarrassed about it, though, but if it happens to nearly every magic user then I don't have to. "There was something I wanted to ask you though, about this whole situation."

"Of course, I'll answer any question if I can," I assure him. I know I won't be able to answer every question. Some of them just aren't things I know. I don't want to disappoint him though, not when his child is the person who is missing.

"The person who took Capsize, how powerful are they? I know it probably sounds stupid because of how many of you there for. My daughter, though, she should be able to escape from anywhere. Her transport magic is incredibly strong for someone her age,” I honestly do feel scared when he says that. Honestly, I don’t know how powerful the person behind all this is. However, summoning a half-life, stopping someone else from using magic. Whoever they aren’t, they aren’t to be trifled with. Even so, I know one thing from Tom constantly reassuring himself.

"I don't know how powerful they are, though I'd guess on the higher end of the scale, but I do know they haven't hurt her. I promise you, it's going to stay that way."


	16. Gift from the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonja starts the painful process of temporarily separating herself from her tree.

Sonja

I breathe through the pain of the separation spell I'm performing. I had to do this, I remind myself I can't be away from my tree for more than a few days without doing one. Had I realised we would be away for so long, I would have taken a cutting before leaving. However, as it stands, the spell is the only thing I can do. Just bite your lip and bare the pain, Sonja, you've been through worse.

"You alright?" I hear a voice that distracts me from casting the spell. Looking up I see Lotus, the young fairy woman, staring at me with both curiously and concern. I attempt to smile reassuringly since, despite how she's a fae like me, I know fairies don't really have the same experiences as I do. They don't have an anchor connecting them to a certain place. "Should I get one of your friends?"

"No, I'm fine, really," I attempt to convince her because it's better than having her worry. It doesn't seem to work. Of course, it wouldn't work. Of course, it wouldn't. I sigh. How do I explain this without making her too worried? "I was just doing a spell to temporary separate me from my tree."

"Does that hurt?" She genuinely seems to not know which almost makes me feel bad. Fairies are usually healers; their dust is one of the most potent types of healing magic in the world. She obviously wants to help, but this isn't the sort of pain she can help with, at least I don't think it is. I've never used fairy dust myself or asked a fairy if they feel pain when injured despite how fast their injuries heal. "I was taught a little about other fae but I haven't met any, not like Cap and her dad."

Suddenly, I perk up, extremely curious about what she's talking about. The girl we're going to find has met other fae, possibly other dryads. _I_ haven't met other dryads (mostly because going to look for them is hard because of the separation spell). I've always been curious, though, what are the others like?

"Do you know if she met any dryads?" I ask hoping that I don't look too excited. If she thinks I'm excited then she might lie to make me feel better. She frowns and I feel like I know what she's going to say. It's okay, though, it feels okays. She must have met plenty of other interesting people.

"I... I don't think so. I think she met a merchant who had. She brought back a leaf clipping thing once," While she clearly doesn't think it's impressive, I find myself amazed. A leaf cutting from a dryad isn't a thing to be taken lightly though I have given out a couple myself and that makes me more curious. If it was one of mine then I wouldn't have to do the separation spell. It's a long shot, but it's surely worth looking.

"Could I see the leaf clipping?" She hesitates which I suppose is reasonable. This isn't hers. It belongs to her missing friend. Still, it really would help if I could see it, possibly even borrow it. Just anything to stop the pain.

"I guess there's no harm in it," She doesn't sound sure of herself. She does, however, start leading me out of the room. The walk is longer than I would’ve expected. She takes me out of the building where we were all originally taken and through the fairy town. It’s only a short time before we’ve come to another building that she takes me into. It hardly has time to make an impression on me, though I can at least tell that it's a home, until she leads me into one particular room.

It's nothing like I would've imagined. It's a bedroom, the walls of which are covered in drawings. All of them have clearly been done by a talented artist, but that's not what I find impressive about them. I recognise some of the things in the drawings. Most of them are little things, things that belong to me or Tucker or Wag, but the one I can't ignore is much bigger. It's a drawing of Tom in his full dragon form, wings outstretched and taking up half a wall.

"She draws what she sees in her dreams and her visions. She can't always tell the difference," I try not to look like I don't believe her. Visionaries are always confusing to me. It's not that I think they don't have powers, but none that I've met have actually been able to explain their powers. I can’t say that a person I’ve never met isn’t one though. Especially since I basically have proof in front of me. She shouldn’t have been able to know some of the things drawn on her walls. "The leaf clipping is in here."

She hands me a wooden box, one decorated with metal engravings that I can just feel is precious. I almost hesitate to open it. When I do the contents is almost as confusing as it is somewhat brilliant. There are gems, feathers, rocks, bags of coloured dust, and leaves. It looks like junk but I can almost feel the magic coming off them. Among the leaves, I feel a magic that's extremely familiar. I reach into the box and pick up a bracelet made from one of my leaf cuttings.

"This is from my tree. I could take this instead of casting the spell," I feel myself smiling, it's even been made into something easy to wear. Lotus smiles too. She clearly doesn't dislike the idea of me taking it. If we're going to find the person who collected it, it shouldn't be too hard to give back to her. Still, a few nerves crop up in my mind. "She won't mind me borrowing it, will she?"

"No, of course not! She collected all these things because she said they'd help someone someday," I find myself smiling because of how this girl sounds. It sounds like her vision powers are more real than those of anyone else I've met before. I would never have believed it but here I am somehow being helped by a girl who isn't here. All I can wonder is how much she knew was going to happen and how much she did on vague whims that one day it might just help someone.


	17. The Other One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dianite has a talk with the young dragon in his care.

Tom

Even though I know I must look stupid, I can't say I want to stop pouting as Dianite looks at me. He's going to tell me off or lecture me because I can't do all the things Mot can. It's not fair I can do things Mot can't, I just sometimes accidentally do things wrong. I don’t mean to, it’s just that I can’t always control how much acid I make. Mot says it’ll come easier when I get older but that thought doesn’t stop me from making holes in cups without meaning to.

"Do you know why I want to talk to you, Tom?" Dianite says, the tone of his voice not giving me any clues as to how much trouble I'm in. I prefer it when he shouts. At least that way I know how much trouble I’ll be in. Even if Dianite does end up feeling bad because he knows that I accidentally feel his feelings a lot. Now though, he just sounds serious, too serious like when I'm in trouble but he's not angry. It doesn't feel right though, I can't feel the waves of disappointment coming off him.

"I... I melted another cup," It's the only thing I can think of that I did wrong, another accident with my acid. I did try not to bite the cup this time. How was I meant to realise that it would happen again, though? I don't melt food though so I don't understand when I keep melting cups. Dianite looks surprised at my answer, and I find myself shrinking in my chair. I've gotten myself into more trouble, haven't I? I should've just said that I didn't know, then I'd just be in the amount of trouble that I originally was.

"No, of course not, you can't help that. This is about how we're going to visit my brother tomorrow and stay with him for a few days," I tilt my head. Dianite has a brother? I try to think about what he could be like because I don't remember anyone mentioning him. I'm sure that he must be nice, though, because if they weren't then why would Dianite be taking me to see him? "I just need you to promise me that, at least on this trip, you won't let anyone know that you hoard people."

"Why?" Dianite said that my hoarding made me special because not many dragons have the willpower to hoard people. Why doesn't he want me to tell people about it? Maybe Mot's right that I don't know how to control my hoarding. Dianite's never said anything like that but he's not a dragon like Mot is. It must be important, though, because he still looks serious.

"Mianite won't like that I'm raising another dragon that hoards people. I can't blame him after what happened last time but you're different from Furia, I know you are," Dianite kneels next to me, a weak smile on his face. I don't know who he's talking about, he's never mentioned a person named Furia before. Why aren't they here like Mot? Why hasn't Mot mentioned them either? Dianite seems to sigh, trying to avoid my eyes. What happened? "I wish, I didn't have to talk to you about this when you're so young."

He goes over to the bookshelf, looking at a box with a pained look in his eyes. He takes out a key, taking the padlock of making it the first time I've ever seen the box unlocked. I find myself feeling extremely nervous about what I'm going to be shown. He's told me never to touch that box so I thought it had something dangerous in it. Yet Dianite is showing me what's inside it so maybe it's not dangerous like I thought it was. He places down a few pieces of paper on the desk in front of me which I realise are pictures, portraits, like the one that Dianite has of me and Mot. I don't recognise the person in the picture, though, not their human or their dragon form. Maybe Mot does but he's never mentioned another dragon.

"Before I found you there was another dragon that I was raising, Furia. He was like you, in a way. He hoarded people rather than objects but he wasn't like you in the way he did it. He was processive and controlling and the last time I saw him, he felt was unique and he also stole something... very precious from Mianite. I don't want you getting into trouble because of him, you don't deserve that."

I don't quite understand what Dianite is talking about but I do know that whoever this Furia is, thinking about him makes Dianite sad. Dianite shouldn't have to be sad... so, I'll make sure that he never has to think about him! I don't know how I'll do that, but I want to. So, I'll find a way because then he'll be happy. I just want people to be happy.


End file.
